Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Good day. Here are the stories of The Manila Times for Thursday, May 22, 2025. Today's episode is brought to you by Wilcon Depot, The Philippines' leading home improvement and construction supplies retailer—your Trusted Building Partner.
READ: 'Enough fighting, let's start serving' PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. urged all elected leaders regardless of party affiliation to cross partisan lines and unite to focus on national development and provide better services as he enters the last three years of his term. The President said that while long-term development remained vital, leaders must now prioritize low-lying fruits — practical, day-to-day solutions that citizens could feel immediately. The President acknowledged that many government initiatives have yet to touch ordinary lives. The public's disillusionment, he said, was grounded on valid grievances — delayed services, unfulfilled promises and a disconnect between big-ticket projects and grassroots realities. READ: 'Reconciliation should not be done at the expense of the law' PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr.'s offer of reconciliation must not be met with conditions by those he wants to make peace with, Malacañang said on Wednesday. Some supporters of the Dutertes said Marcos should seek the release of former president Rodrigo Duterte from the custody of the International Criminal Court to prove the genuineness of his reconciliatory gesture. The Palace said the President's offer of reconciliation does not mean he would disregard the rule of law. READ: ICC extends disclosure deadline on Duterte case THE International Criminal Court has extended the deadline for the disclosure of materials on the crime against humanity case filed against former president Rodrigo Duterte. The ruling dated May 20 was signed by Presiding Judge Iulia Antoanella Motoc. The decision resulted from a May 14 request endorsed by then-ICC Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan, seeking the postponement of disclosure of witness materials until July 1, to allow more time to protect individuals at risk due to their involvement in the proceedings. The prosecution also requested an extension for the final deadline to apply for withholding witness identities until June 20. The court also instructed the prosecution to submit requests concerning redactions or nondisclosure of witness identities by June 16. READ: Hontiveros to form independent bloc in Senate SEN. Risa Hontiveros and two other senators-elect might form an independent bloc in the 20th Congress if the five-man 'Duterte bloc' wrestles control of the minority group from her. There is a possibility that there would be three groupings in the Senate in the next Congress: majority, minority and the independent blocs. The current minority group is composed of Senate Minority Leader Aquilino Pimentel III and Hontiveros. However, Pimentel will end his term in June, leaving Hontiveros behind, as she has until 2028 to complete her term. Hontiveros was hoping to invite Senators-elect Bam Aquino and Francis Pangilinan to join her in the minority group. READ: TMT holds real estate forum at Clark THE Manila Times holds its annual real estate and construction industries forum today, May 22, at Clark Marriott, Pampanga, to give focus on potential of rural real estate projects in the Clark Freeport and Special Economic Zone. With the theme 'Best practices in blueprinting model freeports and provinces,' the forum delves into the opportunities that the real estate industry can achieve within the rural and urban landscapes, infrastructure and ecosystem dynamics, sustainability, and its impact in other industries such as tourism and hospitality. Lending their insights are Transportation Undersecretary Timothy John Batan and Clark Development Corp. President and CEO Agnes Devanadera. BUSINESS: Insurance penetration up, lags global average Over to business, insurance penetration in the Philippines edged higher to 1.89 percent in the first quarter of 2025, the Insurance Commission said, up from 1.78 percent a year earlier. The country, however, still significantly lags the global average of 7.0 percent and the latest figure underscores the need to further develop the domestic insurance sector. The metric, which is the ratio of insurance premiums to gross domestic product , was said to have risen due to a stronger growth in total premiums relative to GDP expansion during the quarter. SPORTS: White outclasses Olympians in Canada swimfest In sports, Filipino British swimmer Heather White continues to make a splash in the international swimming scene after claiming one gold and one bronze in the 2025 Mel Zajac Jr. International Swim Meet held in Vancouver, Canada. White showcased her exceptional speed and skill, dominating the women's 100-meter freestyle event with a remarkable time of 56.47 seconds to bag the coveted gold medal. The proud member of the Philippines' Behrouz Elite Swimming Team and the national junior swimming team pulled off a stunning upset, outpacing formidable opponents including Canadian Olympians Emma O'Croinin and Kylie Masse. O'Croinin finished second with a time of 56.62 seconds, while Masse took third place in 56.75 seconds. Meanwhile, White's impressive performance in the preliminaries, clocking 56.42 seconds hit the bronze-medal standard for the 2025 Southeast Asian Games to be held in Bangkok, Thailand. READ: Opinion and editorial Antonio Contreras and Danton Remoto are today's front page columnists. Contreras says incoming senator Bam Aquino's win is a headache for Duterte supporters, while Remoto welcomes good news on English language training centers. Today's editorial says there is a new opportunity in the mineral production industry. Read more in the paper's opinion section or listen to the Voice of the Times. 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'Enough Fighting Let's Start Serving' May 22 2025
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